The Highland Council establishes three new area committees

The Highland Council is to create three new Area Committees to complement the two already operating successfully in Inverness and Caithness & Sutherland.

The committees will cover Skye and Ross & Cromarty (23 members), Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey (8 members) and Lochaber (7 members).

They are being established to scrutinise and deliver actions and improvements in their local areas.  As well as taking on the responsibility for local service delivery, the committees will decide how delegated budgets are spent and will work with partners to promote tourism and boost the local economy, with a focus on providing efficient and effective services.

Council Leader, Councillor Drew Hendry, said: “Today’s decision is a big step in returning local democracy to Highland communities and I am sure all elected members will work hard to ensure the Area Committees work with local groups and agencies to bring tangible and successful outcomes.  Wherever they live people should expect us to deliver efficient high quality service and I really see this as a great opportunity to tailor how we do business by taking into account local circumstances.”

The Area Committees will meet 4 times a year on dates yet to be determined.
Later in the meeting, the Council decided to retain two planning application committees – covering the North and South Highlands – rather than, at this time, move to one Highland planning applications committee because of the implications of new planning regulations.  This decision will be reviewed in June of next year.

The Council also agreed procedures for considering public petitions at council and strategic meetings, which will be introduced from 1 August.